Increase in violence against women, children sparks plans to build crisis centers in Manila

Significant increase in the number of cases of violence against women and children (VAWC) amid the Covid-19 pandemic quarantines compelled the Manila city government to establish crisis centers made to assist these victims of violence or abuse.

On Apr. 14, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna signed the approval of City Ordinance No. 8933, mandating the establishment of women and children centers in the key districts of Manila to be supervised by the Manila Department of Social Welfare (MSWD).

“Mas naging apparent ‘yung need talaga to have a women crisis center, and this is really more to empower women, because the current system natin right now is you can go to the Manila health department [or] you can go to the police, you can go to the barangay violence against women desk, medyo, in my opinion, kalat-kalat,” Manila Fourth District Councilor Krystle Marie Bacani told the Six Stars Capitol.

Bacani also believes that a women's crisis center has the power to bring all the cases together under one proof by serving as a single point of contact for abuse and assault victims.

"What we want to do is to create a central referral pathway na parang isang number na lang yung tatawagan mo, para di kalat-kalat kasi nga ang dami mong pwedeng puntahan so parang it’s not consolidated. Sometimes gusto namin i-track yung mga progress per case, di namin ma-track,” Bacani said.

“[...] we want one referral system that you call one number, sana yung women crisis center na yun and from there they will do data— na nasa isang source,” the councilor added.

Violence against women and children have tripled during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, according to the Philippine Commission on Women.

In 2020, a similar initiative was also done when former Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signed Ordinance No. 8681 (the Gender and Development Code of the City of Manila), which seeks to protect women and all other genders from abuse and sexism.

Moreover, the crisis center will prioritize women and children for the meantime. Help for the LGBTQIA+ community will be to follow, said Bacani. “Definitely, LGBTQ+ is included but we are trying to prioritize muna yung high incidences natin ng women na victims of abuse, high kasi talaga.”

Promise of safety, confidentiality, and shelter

Bacani assured that the women crisis center will be a more comprehensive program to rehabilitate the life of women and children that are victims of all kinds of abuse, saying that their case is different from those that are catered by temporary shelters in Manila.

“Right now kasi wala talaga, meron tayong MSWD where we also put yung mga vagrance, sometimes galing probinsya na pupunta ng maynila wala silang matirhan — we put them in temporary halfway homes, but there’s not one that is particular to abuse victims, gender base violence victims, kasi iba talaga yung issues nila eh,” the councilor explained.

Bacani also noted how the city government should reach out more to its constituents since many unreported cases of VAWC were unreported before and during the pandemic as some get intimidated to do so, which added to her motivation to pass the ordinance as well.

“Maraming unreported, yung unreported dapat yung dapat nating bigyan ng awareness — yung mga takot mag report,” she added.

Part of the standards and protocols to be abided by these crisis centers is a central referral pathway system which would consolidate all reports and track cases of VAWC easier for the city government.

“[...] isang number na lang yung tatawagan mo, para di kalat-kalat kasi nga ang dami mong pwedeng puntahan so parang it’s not consolidated [...] gusto namin i-track yung mga progress per case, di namin ma-track kasi na pasa dito na pasa doon,” Bacani said.

Project timeline

Bacani reported that one crisis center has been approved and construction is scheduled to begin later this year.

"Currently ang goal natin is to have one per district ang importante is magawa muna din yung first crisis center which is going to be I think sa Fifth District because dun yung red light district diba, yung Malate area so marami dun nagiging victim of abuse, saka dun tayo may patrimonial property," Bacani said.

The project's budget, however, is the main area of concern, particularly since there are other sectors to take into account when setting priorities.

“Ang concern ay syempre budget or hindi siya magawang priority, pero since ang mayor natin is babae, I think she’s really making this a priority project,” Bacani said.

"[...] hopefully they will see the need and the effectiveness of it," she added.

by: Julia Dominique Yancha, Jose Gabriel Ignacio and Rose Eunice Gacutan